Hammock with Simblissity Inner Peace net? Help me set up my 1st kit with what I've got!

[alexhaney100]

Hey everyone!

This is my first post here. Figured I'd jump right in. I'm currently a ground camper who is itching to try hammocking! I want to give it a try this year, but I need some advice. I want to use as much of the gear I already own as possible, without sacrificing all of the strong points of hammock camping. I currently use a ground tarp setup and a lot of the stuff I use for that can be repurposed- I'm thinking maybe I can just get away with purchasing a hammock and suspension system but let me know what you think when I tell you about my gear.

So I use a 7x10 silnylon tarp, and I do have a top quilt from jacks r better that can be used as an underquilt. For bug season which is starting soon, I have a simblissity inner peace bug net. Now... I'm thinking of how I can possibly use this stuff so I don't have to purchase an underquilt or mess around with a sleeping pad (doesn't appeal to me at all), as well as wondering if I can rig up my bug net for the hammock as well. I could use my top quilt as an underquilt, and just use one of my warmer weather sleeping bags, a liner or maybe even just a fleece or wool blanket on top? I sleep pretty warm, my quilt is a 25 degree. I've obviously never slept with insulation like that under me- but am I correct to think that maybe with that much insulation wrapped around underneath me, I wouldn't need that much on top in the summer?

Now for the net- those of you who are familiar with the simblissity net, do you think I could rig it up to the suspension? Maybe even put it over the hammock? The downside of course to this net is that you have to crawl into it a bit, but i'm thinking maybe it won't be that bad. Tell me if I'm wrong on that one! I am looking at maybe getting the dream hammock freebird. Its $75- I need my system to be modular because I do a lot of camping in the cooler months when there are no bugs. But to upgrade from the freebird to a modular system, or to add a bug net, would at least add either $65 for the bug sock, or another $135 to upgrade to the thunderbird. Obviously I only want to spend that money if I have to since I don't know if I will like hammocking yet (I know, I know, you're all insisting I will...)

I'm also not dead set on dream hammock or their gear so if you have any other suggestions get at me!! Thanks for any help you can offer

[SilvrSurfr]

I like Dutch's hammocks because they're about the most affordable on the market: $35 for just an 11 ft. hammock or $76 including whoopie hook suspension.

As for the simblissity net, it doesn't look particularly ideal for a hammock. It doesn't appear it will play nice with a hammock ridgeline, and even without a hammock ridgeline, you might have a hard time keeping it off of you.

As for insulation, bottom insulation in a hammock is extremely important, but that doesn't mean you can skimp on top insulation. If you're camping in 20* F temps, use the appropriate insulation, top and bottom, for the conditions.

[alexhaney100]

Thanks! Yeah those hammocks also look like a great deal. He also has the fronkey bug net for cheaper than the dream hammock bug net socks. Cool. And yeah that was my worry with the simblissity net, thanks for your honesty.

I definitely won't be using it in 20 F conditions. Coldest it would get would be about fifty. I wouldn't usually bring my 20F bag in those conditions, but I mean it can't hurt- I mostly canoe trip in the summer so the bit of extra weight isn't a super huge concern.

[SilvrSurfr]

Thanks! Yeah those hammocks also look like a great deal. He also has the fronkey bug net for cheaper than the dream hammock bug net socks. Cool. And yeah that was my worry with the simblissity net, thanks for your honesty.

I definitely won't be using it in 20 F conditions. Coldest it would get would be about fifty. I wouldn't usually bring my 20F bag in those conditions, but I mean it can't hurt- I mostly canoe trip in the summer so the bit of extra weight isn't a super huge concern.

I've used a 20* UQ in temps up to 70* F and never vented it or anything. In bed terminology, think of the UQ as the bed, and the TQ as the blanket. In bed, you vent on top, not on bottom. Bottom insulation is definitely important in a hammock.

You can definitely get away with a fleece blanket TQ in 50* lows, but I've never taken one down any lower than that.

I personally swear by the Fronkey-style bugnets. I can't stand integrated bugnets with zippers. Of course, you need to use permethrin with any bugnet, in my opinion. Too many blood-borne diseases. There's a bug net called the HUG, or half-bugnet, that is similar to the simblissity in that it relies on other components like the UQ/TQ and hammock to keep bugs off you. If you kick your TQ/sleeping bag off of you (and I do), you get ravaged by bugs. Not my idea of fun.

[SilvrSurfr]

Since you only have a 7 x 10 tarp, you might want to consider a 10 ft. hammock to insure proper coverage at the ends of your hammock. Personally, I prefer 11 ft. hammock (5'11") so all my tarp ridgelines are 11 ft.

Eleven ft. hammocks have been growing in popularity and correspondingly, so have tarps with 11 ft. ridgelines.

[alexhaney100]

ah yeah good plan on the ten footer with the tarp- I planned to get a ten footer because I'm not a big guy, pretty skinny and only 5'7''. I saw a video of an eleven footer on youtube and it looked huge to me on a guy who was taller than me. Maybe its a lot more comfortable though? but I'm still wanting to go as light as possible- for the time being I'm just not sure I'd take a hammock backpacking or not. I will if the sleep is a ton better, but I already sleep pretty good out there on the ground and I just don't see yet how the extra weight is worth it. Weight isn't everything though I suppose.

[Rolloff]

You'll see pretty dare quick the difference between sleeping where the animals pee vs sleeping in the air swinging on a cloud.

Good luck and good advice.

[SilvrSurfr]

ah yeah good plan on the ten footer with the tarp- I planned to get a ten footer because I'm not a big guy, pretty skinny and only 5'7''. I saw a video of an eleven footer on youtube and it looked huge to me on a guy who was taller than me. Maybe its a lot more comfortable though? but I'm still wanting to go as light as possible- for the time being I'm just not sure I'd take a hammock backpacking or not. I will if the sleep is a ton better, but I already sleep pretty good out there on the ground and I just don't see yet how the extra weight is worth it. Weight isn't everything though I suppose.

My hammock kit is pretty light - I doubt a ground dweller would beat me (unless they're making major sacrifices somewhere). Then again, I've spent a ton of money on the hammock hobby.

When I was 35 years old, the ground was fine. By forty years old, I didn't sleep so good. At 50, I started hammocking and have been going strong for five years without sleeping on the ground. The sleep quality, for me, is just 1000% better than ground pounding. But I'm not a young man.

[alexhaney100]

You'll see pretty dare quick the difference between sleeping where the animals pee vs sleeping in the air swinging on a cloud.

Good luck and good advice.

thanks a lot, man. excited to get up there.

[alexhaney100]

My hammock kit is pretty light - I doubt a ground dweller would beat me (unless they're making major sacrifices somewhere). Then again, I've spent a ton of money on the hammock hobby.

When I was 35 years old, the ground was fine. By forty years old, I didn't sleep so good. At 50, I started hammocking and have been going strong for five years without sleeping on the ground. The sleep quality, for me, is just 1000% better than ground pounding. But I'm not a young man.

ah yeah see... I'm not even thirty yet ha. but I do a lot of camping on canadian shield, very rocky woodland. seems logical to take advantage of the trees and get up off the cold hard rocks.